Wednesday, March 11, 2009

I need your help, gentle readers. One of my colleagues is offering a course on food and food systems this year, and he thought it would be great if I could come in to discuss veganism. Plus, I think the students might benefit from seeing a real live vegan (ha ha). The great part about this presentation is that I get to do a cooking demo. The great conundrum is: what to make? The class runs for 1:20, so I need to do something fairly quick and easy. Do I try some kind of fake meat, or try to bring tofu back? Entree? Dessert? I am open to suggestions.

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comments:

I suggest fake meat or tofu. This is what scares non-vegetarian/non-vegans the most. If you can make something that they will enjoy as a meat eater then you have succeeded! I am a vegetarian and I still can't get tofu/seitan/or any other type of "fake meat" quite right which is likely why I am reluctant to do away with all animal products like my egg and cheese

I'd vote for making something with tofu or tempeh. So many people have no idea what either one of them tastes like, and you have an opportunity to have them try something lovely you make and have them like it. Fake meats are okay, but they're- well, they're fake.

make a dessert - I finally made the switch from vegetarian to vegan once I learned how easy vegan baking is. I think if the students realize that vegan eating doesn't have to = sacrifice and deprivation, they'll be more open to it. good luck w/ the demo - can't wait to hear how it goes! :-)

I vote do something with tofu! Most people have a big misconception about it -- teaching how to properly cook it can really make people rethink veganism. My fiance hated tofu, but now that I cook it for him he LOVES it!

How about pre-pressing some and bringing it with you? Or pre-marinating it? Oh, and a dessert with silken tofu!

What an exciting opportunity! I would do something not too complicated, something that any of the students could make with everyday, easy to find ingredients. Sorry, I don't have any specific suggestions, but I can't wait to hear what others say!

when i was in college, i once saw a vegan cooking demo where they made a whole breakfast in twenty five minutes. there were beer pancakes, overnight oatmeal, and tofu scramble. it was great, and she did it right before exams. for the next two weeks, all i smelled in the dorms were those pancakes.

Tofu might be a good idea. I've talked to many nonvegans about their dislike of tofu. However, all it takes is one well-cooked meal and they're hooked. Most people who have never used tofu just don't know how to cook it right.

Another suggestion could be to just stay away from any tofu or "fake meaty" stuff. Show them that veganism isn't just soy. You could do a beautiful meal with lots of veggies to make it colorful.

Maybe fake meat--but a bean entree might be better, something easy to make with the ingredients college students might have on hand. Let the students see that veganism is normal, tasty, filling, and relatively uncomplicated.

My husband and I do vegan discussions/demos at our local library (in western Kansas!), and one that always gets re-requested is our discussion about tofu. It's a really intimidating ingredient, and it's fun to take it out of the package and pass it around so people can see how much water is in it. You can always have something pre-prepared to serve, and then just show some of the techniques (pressing tofu, etc.).

Others might differ, but personally (as a non-vegan, not even necessarily a vegetarian) I'd plead NOOO, to fake meat, and only maybe to tofu! Best of all to cook something that they can make using ingrediants, tools and techniques they already know - perhaps with tofu as an optional extra. Possible, rather than scary, I reckon.

Hmmm this sounds like a great opportunity, both for you AND a chance for others to learn about vegan food. Hm, how old are the students? If they're younger, I think somthing simple and similar to "regular" food would show how the switch is both easy and not scary. Maybe something simple like chilli, sloppy joes, or delicious burgers with lots of flavour and veggies?

I think I'd avoid anything that relies on fake meat products or stuff like tofutti sour cream. Veganism is great even without all of that stuff! I think something like eggplant lasagna, or canolli stuffed with a tofu/spinach filling would be nice, and both would be familiar enough that all of the students/participators would be interested.

i'm trying to channel my inner undergrad omnivore, haha. if i were new to veganism, i'd probably blanch at the thought of never being able to have 'meat' again, so maybe introducing a quintessentially omni dish using vegan substitutions to show how easy it can be, like fake hot wings or mac 'n cheese? then again, nooch may not be the most appetizing introduction at first, so maybe a simple demonstration of how you can cover carbs, veggies, and protein nutritional bases might be fun and easy, like pasta with chickpeas and veggies or something. so many options! good luck and let us know how it goes!

Oh wow, this is your chance to prepare delicious vegan food that DOESN'T include fake meat. Even though most of us veggies succumb to the call of fake meat at least sometimes, I think one of the most important myths to destroy is that vegans and vegetarians are all sitting around sighing, wishing we could eat meat but we can't because animals are so darn cute.

It would be great to make some sort of freaking delicious food whose recipe needs no "fake" substitutions. A creamy veggie soup, pumpkin muffins, some sort of lesser known vegan ethnic food.

If your aim is to educate them on vegan ingredients, I would probably go for some kind of fake meat because 1) it's something that non-vegetarians hardly bother with and 2) they'll learn it's much easier than it sounds!

But if you want to try and remind them that vegan cooking is not rocket science, you might want to make something like risotto (take out the Parm) or polenta (stock instead of milk) or an easy dessert (lots of them are vegan!) - really anything that only requires omitting one dairy ingredient.

I say do an entree, but leave out the fake meat- something that lets the veg (or fruit) and so on shine on their own accord, rather than having your onlookers try and compare them to meat bacon or whatever.

in an 1:20 you can do a full meal, show them that you can get full n a vegan meal. A pasta with a couple of sides and a dessert. May not give you the time to discuss the fine details of egg substitutions, but it will give them a place to start.

Using fake meat in the demo might lead some to conclude that vegan food can't stand on its own. There is no need to fake anything to make good vegan food (but there is nothing wrong with fake meat, either).

Personally, I'd avoid stereotype foods like seitan or tofu. Beans are such a vegan staple, that a tasty way to make beans might be simple and revealing to students. A chickpea burger/fritter or one of your tempeh burgers would be good too, maybe bring in a dessert and loaf of bread.

When I'm feeding omnis, especially the first encounter, I make something 'normal' to stress that animals aren't needed to have a healthy and tasty meal. For this type of encounter, I've done pasta, Indian or Thai, beans & rice, etc.

I know that, when I first started cutting back on meat, I truly wasn't aware that I could be satisfied without meat or dairy. That awareness, for me, was an important first step that I try to instill in others.

Whatever you do, I'm sure the students are in for a treat. Have fun with it =)

i did a vegan cooking class for hte first time last year for college students interested in vegetarianism and veganism. i did a fried mock chicken and some cheesy mashed potatoes with collard greens. and chocolate cupcakes. all were a big hit. that might be a bit much for the time you have.. but my thoughts when i was trying to figure it out were to make something that's delicious that lots of people will like and something that's not overly complicated (they were college students and not all had much cooking experience). they all were excited to try the recipes at home. which makes me think i chose well. good luck!

I would suggest a dessert since that type of dish wins over many people...plus it seems like so many people don't understand that cakes etc can be made without eggs!! Tofu is often received negatively so that could be iffy, but if you made it super delicious you could definitely shock some people! Good luck!

Dessert, absolutely. I think one of the biggest misconceptions about vegan food I run into is that it's gross, or tastes bland, or is a specially acquired taste. I bake a lot, and the number of people I've fed a vegan dessert (particularly from VCTOTW) to who've exclaimed "I wouldn't even know this is vegan - it's GOOD!" is remarkable. If you can get 'em to believe you with dessert, it's an easier route to getting them to believe you with the rest of the meal. Not that I really think veganism is about being evangelical, but there's definitely some convincing involved.

As a non-vegan who reads this blog with interest, I would personally think a more unusual fake meat like tempeh or seitan would probably be a lot more interesting than tofu. Most people have cooked with tofu and/or eaten it, but showing that there's OTHER things than just tofu would probably catch the attention much more.

Hmmm, I would think that making a popular entree (like a pasta or casserole or rice dish) but with vegan ingredients would be quite educational in showing you don't have to sacrifice tastes you love when you go vegan.

When I almost taught a cooking class (nobody signed up), I had planned to do hummus the first day. I know it's really simple, but it's delicious, people are somehow always amazed by it, and the ingredients are cheap and easy to find anywhere. Except tahini, I guess. While tofu and faux meat are really comfortable for ingrained vegans, I've found they can be off-putting to omnis. I love to show people you can use 'normal' ingredients to make delicious healthful vegan meals.

I think it would be important to emphasize it's not a day job to be a vegan, so make "college food" and/or bring ready made things along. I do not know what kind of equipment you will have to work with, this will limit a lot. I guess finger-foods and sweet stuff will do well, with simple recipes you will keep them more eh... awake.Hope you will have fun preparing this demo :)

If I were you I'd do a really nice dessert so that they can see that you're not restricted to dark chocolate and fruit salad as a vegan.In my experience tofu isn't such a crowd pleaser. What exactly do you mean by fake meat?Your wingz look absolutely amazing, so maybe you could do those.

How about an easily veganized twist on a classic? Like french onion soup? Something you can keep super simple and super healthful. I've often found that showing people how to make something they would already eat is a way to show that they really don't need the meat, and makes the whole lifestyle seem a little less alien and less gimmicky too.

Of course, this applies to foods they would possible not have eaten, like fabulous Indian dals and such!

I would suggest an entree, and I would recommend using seitan or tempeh rather than tofu, since it will teach a lot of them a word they probably haven't even heard before. Then you don't have to get over the stigma of tofu.The madras curry was very good (I made it with smart grounds because I wanted to use those up), it was somewhat similar to familiar foods like chili, and it emphasized the "meat" portion quite well.I think a dessert wouldn't do that as well.Also, I suggest you describe basic vegan cooking techniques and describe things like nutritional yeast, seitan, and tempeh. I didn't grow up in a home with much cooking instruction, so I learned to eat vegetarian by just picking off the meat on the dishes my parents served or only eating the carb-laden sides for quite a while. As I hit my 20s I realized this isn't remotely nutritious and I've slowly learned how to substitute the actual meat and nutrients with tempeh, tofu, nut. yeast etc, but that's the only place where this site seems to lack. It doesn't tell me a whole lot about the value or usefuleness of vegan/vegetariaan products nutritionally or in practice, so I have to learn by making each recipe to see how these ingredients act. Also I recommend making sure your students know how to find the ingredients as that can be a challenge itself. I understand this blog is just your collection of recipes moreso than an educational site, but just some feedback.

I don't know... I would suggest avoiding fake meat. These are probably omnivores, and they don't take too quickly to meat substitutes... some tofu would be nice, or perhaps a dish that doesn't involve a meat replacement at all - maybe something with chickpeas or another bean?

I'm thinking some type of dessert. Most people think that veganism leaves out any and all pastries/baked goods so it might be nice to shake up the idea that you need cream and butter for a good dessert. additionally, while i am a big fan of fake meat, plenty of people to whom i've offered have a texture issue implanted in their minds that prevents them from even trying it. while this could also be a nice predisposition to rattle, it may also have a larger chance for lack of receptivity. i mean really, who's going to say no to dessert? :) good luck!

Since you're doing a cooking demo, I assume you have access to a stove and oven - right? If it's still cool weather, I think it would be great to do your vegan "Shepherd's Pie" or another casserole-type food...maybe something with a Mexican theme? It'll be very easy to hand out samples. However, if it's getting warm in your neck of the woods, how about a chickpea burger with some kind of salad? Everyone likes burgers -and you can easily cut those up for samples too. I think I'd pass on the tofu - that's probably what they're expecting! You have SO many good recipes to choose from.

I would do something with no fake meat, no tofu or any other foods that seem normal to us vegans. That's one of the roadblocks between us and them; they can't wrap their heads around fake stuff. And truthfully, it doesn't really approximate anything they know. I think it would be better to make an entree that uses regular food that they have eaten before; grains, beans, veggies. You need to ease into it, not hit them over the heads.My opinion....

I would suggest something original with veggies and beans for the ff reasons:1) most meat eaters think of us vegan eating fake meats as hypocritical. Also, with all the bad rap gluten and soy are getting these day, it might be something I would avoid. Also, they already have seen and tried many meat analogs from market already....and2) Veggies and beans are so delish, so versatile, so nutritious, so delish (did I mention it again...), so I think its great opportunity to show them the wonderful world of veggies....neel

In your shoes, I think I would do a vegan mac n cheese using cashew cheese sauce...because even my omni SIL loves the one I do, and it's familiar and comfort food. And also a chocolate pudding using silken tofu...because you just know those who are afraid of tofu and have never had it are going to want to give it a try in THAT.

Unless your college's students are very different from most college students, then they are probably largely clueless in kitchen, fairly lazy about cooking, and not the healthiest eaters. With that in mind, I would make something pretty simple. Maybe veganize a favorite junk food (the fact that it will taste better and be healthier is a bonus!). Tacos would be a good one, you could use TVP or store-bought veggie crumbles for the meat. Everything else is pretty much just chop and add to taste and you can either omit cheese and sour cream, our introduce vegan options. Chili would be another good option, and if you used canned beans or a pressure cooker it will be ready in 30-45 minutes, tops. I like BJ's idea of burgers, you could make your sliders.Also, since it sounds like most of the students are not at all familiar with veganism I would avoid introducing too many "weird" foods (seitan and nutritional yeast are weird to most people). Instead show them how easy it is to replace animal products with foods they are already familiar with, like beans, and that there are lots of vegan options for the animal-based foods they are used to (like veggie crumbles, vegan cream cheese and sour cream, etc.)Just my two cents as a college student. I think it is great that your colleague asked you to do this!

make 2 or 3 entrees. like a breakfast lunch and dinner.I would make my homemade hasbrowns and tofu scramble for breakfast and a tofu stir fry with peanut sauce over brown rice for dinner. pretty quick, super nutritious and really pretty looking on a plate with all the bright varied veggies.

Hi there-First of all, hooray for your opportunity to educate people about a healthy lifestyle!

Second, I TOTALLY agree with FunkyFrum: go for breakfast food- the idea of entire meal where they can see that there are very do-able and very TASTY options for that favorite meal! Tofu scramble, non-dairy pancakes, and if they're feeling adventurous, your delectable sausages! Go for it!

I didn't read through every comment, but I searched and didn't see any mention of TVP. It's super easy and amazingly tasty (if seasoned right). You could take about 5 minutes total of your presentation to prepare some and the rest of the time to tell them all the things they eat now that they can replace with it.

I have been a vegetarian for my whole life (going on 29 years) and I find that tofu still gets the worst reaction from people. As others have said before me, it is simply a question of being unable to cook it properly. If time permits, you could show them how to marinate tofu properly and then make it into a dish!

I would say something original with veggies and beans/tofu. I have met a lot of people who want to reduce their meat intake, but concerned about protein deficiency....May be Indian Saag Tofu or Veggie burger (boiled cabbage/cauliflower/green bell pepper/ potato, binded with chickpea flour and shallow fried).... or some kind of tofu noodles

I agree that getting non-vegans comfortable with fake meat is a good option, but i think they already have an idea that we eat "weird" things. (as a vegan, even i'm not a fan of tofu sausage.) If it were me, i'd make some comfort food that everyone loves, that is already very close to and easily made vegan. (my friends love my "pot roast" which is just roasted veggies/potatoes with awesome flavors and mushroom gravy)

Cool! I've done several cooking demos at Whole Foods and for our local Buddhist temple, and I typically stick to tofu recipes to help de-mystify the stuff. Non-vegans think tofu is weird and gross, so making it taste good always impresses folks.

I'm with the "no fake meat/tofu" camp. College students who aren't Vegan are likely to just compare any fake meat/tofu meal to actual animal products and say "that's not as good" I'd go with something using easily accessible ingredients that they could see themselves cooking even if they don't go Vegan...like your cajun "crab" cakes....YUM

I'd say your lemon pudding cake would be wonderful. Or crepes or waffles if you do breakfast. If you do lunch/dinner-type stuff, something that's familiar but with a veggie twist -- maybe a simple soup and a nice main course grain salad, something like that. Voila, a yummy weeknight meal.

I'm neutral on whether to include fake meat -- I can see the pluses, and you are "internet famous" for yours -- but I'm not a regular eater of it myself and have gotten mixed reactions to it from non-veggies (ranging from "what's the point" to "that stuff's pretty good, even if it's not like real meat").

I'd go with either something hearty, filling, and naturally vegan-friendly (like a great pad thai) rather than fake meat. No matter how good, the fake stuff will get compared to the meat version, and may not sway the crowd.

That being said, I think desserts are a near universal joy, and there are some fabulous ones out there. I think you could do a lot by showing people some great stuff they already like is vegan (or vegan-friendly at least).

Rather make that delicioso Ethiopian Stew. That is the best and if you must show that fake meat, you can but only as an added note!! As well the ingrediants are super cheap, it has veggies and you can demonstrate lovely spice blends.

It would be a miracle if you read this far down, but if you don't bake I think you should make the vegan mac and cheese. Or, at least something with a nut cream. I think omnis find the nut cream remarkable. I personally find the taste delightful, but even those who don't will be wowed by the 'authentic' look

Now, for the food, I would suggest food ingredients which the students could purchase cheaply and easily and which don't seem 'strange'. Try to think of a dish that is easy and quick to cook and which will also look appetising when you serve it. You also might want to give students a taste of each thing you make, so that they realise the foods are yummy and not everything has to be 'healthy healthy healthy'. In 1.20 you could make a few different things. Whatever you cook, make sure you do a batch of double chocolate chip cookies...decent choc chip cookies always impress the harshest critic.

I've done a few hundred caterings/demos/classes, (since 1999 on my own and helping with others from earlier). People are most amazed by cheesey things and meaty things.

I think you should do your turkey slices - they are excellent - but need more salt for a demo (I added 2 teaspoons). Also some mac & cheese. Do little hoagies (half of a little hot dog bun works nicely for sampling.

The key to successful demos is having your product already ready at several stages. For the meat, have one roll chilled and ready to slice, have slices already on the sandwiches (you are great at visual appeal, so stack them to count for display). Also, have everything for the recipe measure up. Have your tofu open, rinsed and ready to go. Have your gluten flour measured and in a dish. Have your seasonings in little cups pre-measured. Have all on a tray.

You'll want to demo the blending, the mixing, the foil wrapping. Then set it in whatever steamer setup you recommend for the average guy and don't steam, just set aside. Tell them how to bake it and chill it. Then unroll your one that's ready and demonstrate slicing it (if you have a deli slicer demonstrate it by hand as well, so it seems attainable).

For mac & chz, have the correct amount of dry noodles (no need to demo, though you might comment on types of noodles to cook), have cooked noodles ready to go. Demo making the cheese sauce, then combing it with noodles, if you're baking it, have a baked one warm and ready for trying.

I have taught quite a few cooking classes and I have a couple of thoughts:

First veganize a comfort food like lasagna (pop one into the oven right before the class so they will smell it cooking and they get a taste after salivating for an hour!).. obviously show them how veganize all the components)

Second, the simple and classic tofu chocolate pie has really really impressed my clients.. you can put it in the freezer to set it up faster.. I usually do a play on it though.. either chocolate peanut butter pie or chocolate mint pie..

I think tofu is more of an acquired thing, well at least for me it took some getting use to. I love your tempeh meatloaf or your wings! I feed your meatloaf to a bunch of meat eaters and they loved it! but really your stuff is so good, I think you would be safe with anything!

How about a wonderful chili, sans the beef? It can be served with cornbread or tortilla chips. Maybe a sandwich spread that could also be used as a cracker spread for snacking.And tofu is alot less scary when it become chocolate "mousse" !

Like someone else said, I think vegan mac and cheese with cashew sauce would be yummy. Meat analogs aren't a good idea (esp. the really fake meat) because to people who do eat meat, it doesn't taste good the way it does to most of us...but tempeh could be cool, too.

Wooo you are doing a cooking demo! You SHOULD with all those gourmet vegan (cruelty free) recipes! :) I know we are assimilated to faux meats, but omni's might find them strange and critisize... I'd go two ways: play it safe (EVERY ONE LOVES buttery sugar) and make some decadent dessert, or male some falvorful tofu + veggie + grain dish- and yes, be creative as always! OR possibly show that "comfort, trypical american style" food is (and can easily) be vegan, that would be great too! :D

I'd go crazy and make sure I cooked with ingredients that people might not have cooked with before. Things like kale, fresh artichokes, numerous types of potato, fresh beetroot, numerous grains (quinoa, millet, barley etc), maybe even sprout some of your own mungbeans and lentils and bring a salad to go with it.

I think the key to capturing them, as others have said, is to convey the rich abundance of a cruelty-free diet.

I agree with peopel above who said stay away from the fake stuff for the most part. You can always mention they exist of course.. Introduce them to Veganized versions of regular food instead, ones that are easy to find ingreadients for, are cheap and convenient and of course filling and delicious. Good luck!:)

Not sure if this is too late. Since this is a talk to a group of meat eaters, I thought maybe you should hear from one of us. I'm an omnivore and I do make veggie or vegan meals frequently. I personally don't like non-meat things that are made to look like meat. If I want meat, I'll eat meat. I'm always disappointed in non-meat "chik'n" or "not dogs" etc. So I strongly urge you to stay away from that. Thanks for taking my comment. I love you blog!